Politics

Ize-Iyamu Congratulates Obaseki Over Supreme Court Verdict

Published

4 years ago

June 2, 2021

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Chief Osagie Ize-Iyamu, for the 2020 Governorship Election in Edo on Monday congratulated Governor Godwin Obaseki, on his victory at the Supreme Court.
Ize-Iyamu in a letter to the governor said that the Friday’s judgment of the apex court has put an end to the series of litigations on the governorship poll that returned Obaseki for second term.
The APC candidate in the letter, asked Obaseki to accept his congratulatory message since all the cases were over.
”For the records, Your Excellency, your supporters had instituted 13 different pre-election cases against my deputy and I; all seeking to disqualify us from participating in the election.
“On our part, our party, the APC had only one case against Your Excellency and your party.
“We also deliberately did not go to the Elections Tribunal, not because we did not have issues but because we felt it was better to allow you face the job at hand, moreso as our party at the National level had congratulated you.
“We are happy that all these cases have come to an end. Now that it is all over, please accept my congratulations,” he said.

The APC gubernatorial flagbearer, however, appealed to the governor to consider the issue of 14 constituencies, which are without representation at the state House of Assembly since 2019.
He said though the matter is in court, the governor was in a vantage position to consider an out-of-court settlement of the issue, in the overall interest of our state.
“Having said that, I want to appeal to you to kindly consider the pertinent issues of the 14 constituencies, including the two in your local government – Oredo and the two in your deputy’s local government – Etsako West, that are presently without representation at the Edo State Assembly.
“Though the matter is in court, you are in a vantage position to consider an out-of-court settlement of the issue, in the overall interest of our state.
“Your Excellency would also do well to intervene in the issue of elected Local Government Chairmen, Vice-chairmen, Councilors and Supervisory Councillors, who sometime ago, were suspended and removed from office.
“Our appeal is that you consider paying them their entitlements since it is now late for them to return to their offices.
“This can also be through the out of court settlement.
“Your Excellency, for us in the APC, as the opposition party in the state, we have a duty to ensure that your government does the right thing always,” the Ize-Iyamu’s letter stated.
The Tide reports that the Supreme Court had on Friday dismissed the certificate forgery suit filed against Obaseki by the APC and its co-appelant for lacking in merit.

Politics

APP Wants INEC To Conduct By-Election To Fill Rivers Assembly Vacant Seats

Published

12 mins ago

January 10, 2025

The Tide

The Chairman of Action Peoples Party (APP) in Rivers State, Hon Sunny Wokekoro, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) to conduct by-election to fill the vacant seats of the 27 lawmakers who defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress. (APC).

He stated that INEC’s delay to conduct the election was also contributing to the political crisis in the State and becoming worrisome, saying that the recent judgement had confirmed the defection of the embattled 27 lawmakers in Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule.

Hon. Wokekoro said this while reacting to the recent court judgement by Justice Sika Aprioku that dismissed the suit seeking to compel Governor Siminalayi Fubara to re-present the N800 billion 2024 budget to the 27 lawmakers.

According to him, the judgement had clearly mentioned that the Gov. Fubara was right to have presented the 2024 and 2025 budgets to the Rt Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo led Assembly.

“As a party we are calling on INEC to immediately conduct another election to the seats vacated by the 27 lawmakers following their defection.

“The party will explore the possibility of legal action to compel INEC to conduct the election if our call is not adhered to.

“The judgement has authenticated and confirmed that the Governor has the constitutional right to present both the 2024 and 2025 budgets to Rt. Hon. Oko-Jumbo”, Hon. Wokekoro said.

He expressed the confidence that the APP was poised to win all the seats, adding that the party has credible persons that have the capacity to achieve electoral success.

“Our party is one of the fastest growing parties currently in the country; it is the party to beat at any election”, he stated.

The APP boss noted that the respective constituencies of the defected members were deprived of representation in the state house of assembly as presently headed by the Rt Hon. Oko- Jumbo and enjoined all political parties to join hands in demanding for INEC to immediately conduct a bye election to fill the vacant seats occasioned by the defection.

The party chairman used the opportunity to laud the governor’s approach to developing the state, especially by not borrowing money to execute projects.

Tonye Orabere

Politics

NASS Sets Date For 2025 Budget Passage

Published

4 hours ago

January 10, 2025

The Tide

The National Assembly has set Jan. 31 as the tentative date for passage of the N49.7 trillion 2025 appropriation bill presented to its joint session by President Bola Tinubu on Dec. 18, 2024.

Chairman, Senate committee on appropriations, Sen. Solomon Adeola, stated this on Monday in Abuja at a meeting with the chairmen of standing committees in the Senate.

According to him, Jan. 31 is the date for laying of reports on the appropriation bill before the Senate and the House of Representatives.

He said upon resumption from Christmas and New Year break on Jan. 14, both chambers of the national assembly would suspend plenary for two weeks for budget defence by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

Sen. Adeola also said that NASS had fixed Jan. 9 for an open day on the budget to enable various stakeholders, aside heads of MDAs, to make inputs on the budget.

“A tentative time table has been drawn for consideration of the budget at committee level.

“Budget defence sessions begin from Jan. 7, while reports from various committees are expected to be submitted from 15th to 18th of this month.

“Afterwards, collation and tidying up of the various reports will be done by the appropriation committee, with the hope of laying final report on the budget at the Senate on 31st of this month.

“However, the 31st of January fixed for laying of the budget is tentative, as it is just given to guide our work,” he said.

The principal officers of the Senate who attended the meeting included: the Deputy Leader, Sen. Lola Ashiru and Senate Whip, Sen. Tahir Monguno.

They said that the timeframe for consideration and passage of the 2025 budget by the national assembly was short.

They, however, expressed hope on the timely passage of the budget.

The committee, thereafter, went into a closed door session with chairmen of the various standing committees in the Senate.

Politics

NGO Passes Confidence Vote On Fubara Over Dev Strides

Published

4 weeks ago

December 13, 2024

The Tide

A grassroots organisation known as Sir Siminalayi Fubara Peace Initiative, Friends For Good Governance, has passed a confidence vote on the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara over his development strides in the state within a short time in office.
Apart from the numerous development projects embarked upon by the governor in the state, the body expressed delight over the recent payment of N85,000.00 minimum wage to civil servants in the State to reduce the economic burden of workers and their dependants.
Spokesperson of the organisation, Chief Felix Ologara, who addressed newsmen in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area described Governor Fubara’s administration as the most compassionate, peace-loving and labour-friendly in Nigeria.
Coordinator of the NGO, Comrade Felix Nnaa, also lauded the governor of Rivers State for staying focused on the development of the state despite the challenges by detractors of his administration.
The NGO also commended the newly elected local government chairmen in the state, particularly the chairman of Khana LGA, Hon Martin Nwigbo and his Tai counterpart, Hon Mathew Dike for modelling their leadership style after Governor Fubara’s in providing essential services to the people.
On his part, the Chairman of Khana Local Government Area, Hon. Martins Nwigbo, who also spoke with the press assured that his administration will give priority attention to the development of Khana, particularly in providing security, economic empowerment, human capital development and restoration of power in the area.